Tenth Degree Burn
by Kou1
Summary: More Zack/Cloud. Zack befriends a young cadet, leading to complications he never bargained for. Rated M as a precaution. FINISHED! Please review!
1. Chapter 1: Hello

Author's Note:

My preambles are never interesting. But please do review. Slighter lighter in nature compared to my previous fic. Please excuse the fluctuations in writing style. I'm down with a bout of terribly annoying fever and flu, and have yet to find out how to work the "leave of absence" option on my entirely French company website.

Disclaimer:

Characters do not belong to me, but to the folks who do, legally, own them. I'm just here expressing my complete and utter adoration for their glory.

Chapter One: Hello

It was Sunday.

He hated Sundays with a passion. They were those horrid days when being alone stung more than any other day. There were no training sessions and all the stores were closed.

He tapped impatiently at the buttons of the old game console in his hand, whizzing through the credits of the game he just finished. He spent a good week of sleepless nights getting to the end only to have the main character perish in a blaze of bullets.

What a waste of time.

He shoved the battered console into the drawer by his bunk with a dejected sigh, glancing about the empty barracks. He preferred the quiet of a Sunday afternoon to the crude jokes and slightly-too-loud laughs from the twenty or so other cadets that shared the cramped living space.

He hoisted himself off the thin mattress, slipping into his chunky combat boots and slinging his coat on. Then set off out of the room and into the thick blanket of snow outside. Days like these should be frozen solid then picked at slowly with a toothpick.

The crisp crunch of white below and fresh icy cool air filling his lungs did wonders to clear up the stagnant weariness built up in his head. The parade square was empty with most of the camp taking the day off. The cadet barracks were the furthest from the square, mostly to cause the maximum amount of panic when surprise drill sessions were called for in the wee hours of the night. He glanced back at his trail of tracks that snaked its way through the ankle-high snow, just screaming boredom with its lazy loops and arcs.

He sighed briskly and his stomach rumbled in hearty response. The mess hall was closed for the day, leaving him with the option to forego food for the day or trudge out into town a good hour's walk away. He decided with the former.

"You know, Cadets should be out on Christmas."

He froze in his step, spinning around and snapping to attention, hand springing to a salute. The tall man laughed and waved a hand to disperse the formality. His eyes scanned over his superior, immediately recognizing the jet black SOLDIER First Class uniform that stood out in stark contrast with the blindingly white snow. The other man stood coat-less in the snow, as if the subtle confidence in his eyes alone was keeping him warm, though the bright mako green glow in his eyes said different.

"At ease," he chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. "What are you doing here alone anyway?"

Cloud scuffed his boot on the ground uncomfortably, fumbling for an excuse aside from that he didn't have friends or family to spend the day with. He was not in the mood for any more prods at his ego.

A hand was shoved in front of him. "I'm Zack."

He looked hesitantly at the proffered hand with the caution one would reserve for large venomous reptiles. After several awkward moments, the hand persisted, prompting him to shake it with his own, if anything to get rid of it as soon as humanly possible.

"Cloud."

"That's quite a name," Zack smiled at the apprehensive cadet who was still teetering uncomfortably on the line between rigid formality and a decent conversation. "Watcha doing for Christmas then?"

"Nothing."

The raven haired man frowned slightly at the curt answer. "No one should have to spend today alone!" He announced suddenly, catching Cloud off-guard and stumbling three steps back at the outburst. "Want to come over to my apartment and watch some crappy films and drink cheap beer?"

Cloud blinked slowly, unaccustomed to the sudden show of friendship. The words eventually found him, slipping out through his barely parted lips in low mumbles. "Actually, I was going to the mess hall and-"

"The mess hall is closed today." the SOLDIER interjected abruptly. "You are coming with me to watch B-grade films and drink lousy beer. That's an order, cadet."

Zack wasn't joking.

The movie was terrible. From the gaping, mind-numbing plot holes to the copious amount of fake blood that seemed to explode from each zombie that crawled its way onto the screen. Cloud could have almost sworn he saw the microphone loom into view several times as well. The beer was no better, the words "raw sewage" floating into his mind with each mouthful that swished down his throat.

The credits had begun to snake their way up the screen when Zack excused himself to order whatever take out was still open on Christmas night. He plodded his way over to the telephone absurdly located in the other room, leaving Cloud free to snoop about the large apartment.

The young blonde watched cautiously from his uncomfortably upright position on the couch as Zack disappeared into another room, then letting out a tired sigh and letting himself sag into the ridiculously comfortable couch.

First class SOLDIER apartments were a far cry from the dingy barracks of the cadets. From the large sofas in the sprawling living room, to the brightly lit kitchen filled with... Cans of beer, chips and many stalks of celery. Cloud surveyed the expanse of the kitchen, briefly sticking his head into the nearly bare refrigerator with a dejected sigh at its lack of substantial contents.

"I got us pizza from some dubious sources," Zack said, entering the room with a slight frown at the cordless phone in his hand. Cloud blinked at him, softly shutting the freezer door, hoping the SOLDIER wouldn't notice. Zack grinned at the blonde cadet fidgeting warily in his kitchen. 4 hours of zombie films and a carton of Shinra issued beer was barely enough to get the young man to relax. His thoughts about how best to befriend him was taken over by brief musings about why he even bothered to begin with.

Perhaps because he knew what it was like to be alone.

He shook off the unwelcome memories creeping into the corners of his mind. Memories were best left at that.

--

The mess hall was filled with the sound of clinking utensils and clamors of a thousand conversations, none of which Cloud was a part of. He rolled his eyes at the raucous laughter that erupted next to him, diverting his undivided attention to the tasteless, watery stew in front of him. The scrumptious, cheese covered pizza from the night before already felt like a very distant memory that only edged further away with each dismal mouthful of blandness. A tired groan left his lips as he flung the spoon down, nudging the tray of unfinished food away from him. Mess hall food had a way of making you feel like giving up on digesting.

"You're not going to last very long in training if you don't eat that."

Cloud's eyes shot up as Zack flopped onto the bench opposite him, prompting the sudden movement of cadets in the immediate vicinity leaping to their feet in a hurried salute. The 1st Class SOLDIER seemed to completely not notice the tense group of young soldiers around him, instead taking to rooting around in his bag. The blonde watched him cautiously, painfully aware of the dozens of curious eyes turned their way, wishing silently that their Zack or he would melt into the ground.

The taller man remerged from the depths of his bag several moments later with a small box. The bright orange wrapped clung to it in desperation, adhered forcibly to the package with half a roll of tape and an impossible amount of tangled ribbon. He slid the box across the table to an ever more apprehensive Cloud, a large grin smudged across his face. Cloud peered at the box, not entirely sure what to do with it, or how to even begin opening it for that matter.

"Merry Christmas!" Zack announced gleefully, edging the younger man to rip open the gift. The blonde peeled open the dozens of wrapping layers slowly, eventually leading to a smooth leather box. His fingers slid deftly over the surface, flipping it open.

"A key?"

Cloud looked up at the ecstatic man across from him who was already rising from the bench amid the crowd which had already begun to gather around the table. Zack flashed him a bright smile.

"Locker 4532. 5pm. Be there."

And he melted into the sea of voices and uniforms.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2: Boys

Author's Note:

Thanks for all the reviews (in a short span of 8 hours nonetheless), and fantastic advice! I will continue to try my best in this next chapter!

Disclaimer:

Orange juice makes coughs worse. Really. Trust me.

Chapter Two: Boys

Training was not the most pleasant way to spend eight hours of your day. Particularly if it was six days a week out in the biting cold. Especially if you were in the 27th Infantry Division. If there was a personification for all the ruthless pain in the world, it would be-

"YES SERGEANT!"

The drill sergeant stalked the front of the contingent of shivering figures, small beady eyes leaping from one hopeless cause to the next as they continued on their 500 push ups. Nevermind that the snow was calf high. Nevermind that it was 10 below outside. Nevermind that 3 of his recruits were already in the medical bay with a variety of broken limbs and frostbite.

Shinra needed soldiers. Not boys.

He watched them struggle through their 398th set, gaze falling harshly on a scrawny form in the middle of the group. He laughed inwardly at the boy's buckling elbows. This one would never make the cut.

"STRIFE. FRONT AND CENTER. NOW."

Cloud looked up from his prone position on the ground, cursing under his shallow breaths before hauling himself to his feet, staggering slightly to the front. A cruel smirk greeted him from the shadows of the sergeants face, an unwelcome teaser as to the unwarranted "extra treatment" he was about to get.

The drill sergeant made a great show of bending down so he could spit his words into the cadet's face better. "Want a break, Strife? You look tired."

Cloud stifled a sarcastic comment bubbling behind his gritted teeth, glazing his eyes over to stare blankly ahead as the words "No Sir" chimed robotically from his throat.

"Well, _I _ thought you needed some fresh air," the superior officer sneered, circling the youth predatorily. "Give me 35 laps around the parade square."

Cloud saluted sharply then broke into a quick jog, forcing his leaden limbs one torturous step after another. The cold stung a whole lot more without being in the middle of the squad, shielded from the frigid wind. The voices of the other cadets waned and rose with each agonizingly large round he ran. His heart screamed with the effort as his body began to slip away in exhaustion.

_Just five more..._

He felt himself fall forwards, his ankle giving way with one false step on iced ground. His eyes squeezed shut, bracing himself for the heavy impact with the ground that never came.

A warmth began to seep gently into his arms, coaxing his eyes open again to have his vision completely filled by a soft black cloth. Strong reassuring arms held onto his small frame, bearing his weight with relative ease. The owner of the arms chuckled in a familiar tone.

"I told you that mess hall stuff was good for you."

Cloud peered up from the shirt he was half buried in to Zack who had a thoroughly bemused look on his face. The younger man stumbled ungainly to his feet with a mumbled apology before his ankle failed him again, sending him plummeting back into the SOLDIER's waiting arms.

"Sit here and wait, pup." Zack instructed, carrying the blonde to the low wall next to them, setting him down gently before sprinting in the direction of the sergeant barking incoherent orders from across the parade square.

_Pup? _Cloud frowned. _Did he just call me a dog?_

The confused boy watched the dark haired man cut swiftly across the snow covered field towards the stout drill sergeant, allowing himself a brief triumphant smile watching the tyrannic instructor offer an awkward salute to the SOLDIER 1st Class who had graced his training session. There was a brief conversation that concluded with another fumbled salute and a shrill whistle signaling the end of the training session. Zack bounded his way back across the grounds, a wide grin slapped across his face.

"Well, that's the last we're going to have any trouble from him, eh?" the SOLDIER laughed, resting his hands on his hips. His enthusiasm was greeted only by a questioning glare and a glaring question.

"What are you doing here?"

The raven haired man scratched the back of his head unconsciously, drawling in a machismo laden tone, "Well... It's six and I didn't see you at the lockers. So I came out for some air and found this drill sergeant holding cadets back by an hour. Completely against company policy."

_It's six already? That bastard..._

"Yeah. I had him as well when I was a cadet." Zack sighed, flopping onto the wall next to Cloud who instinctively squirmed a little further from the taller man. The SOLDIER ignored the apparent discomfort of the younger man, instead, fishing about his pocket for a slim piece of cool plastic.

"Here you go."

Cloud looked at the cellphone in Zack's outstretched palm for several seconds before having the item shoved into his hands. The SOLDIER chuckled at the absence of words coming out from the blonde's gaping mouth.

"It's a ph-on-e." Zack annunciated slowly, flipping the device open with a swift click and a light chime. "My number is on it. If you're ever alone on base with nothing to do, give me a ring and we can hang out or something. If I'm not on assignment, that is."

The cadet stared unblinkingly at the present in his hand, fingers not wanting to brush the shiny surface in fear of his first present in a long time dissolving like the snow melting on the palm of his hand. The cellphone was a simple black and silver with hardly anything remarkable about it besides the small embossed logo on the back. He cautiously clicked the phone shut, slipping it into his inner pocket to prevent scratches from the knick knacks he has stashed in his pants pockets.

"Thanks." he began quietly, a faint smile slipping across his lips as he looked up at the taller man. "But I didn't get you anything..."

Zack shushed him with a quick shake of his head, looking the younger man intensely in the eye.

"That," he smiled, pointing at the smile on Cloud's face. "Was all I needed."

With that, he leapt to his feet, grabbing the hand of the blushing younger man and dragging him off in the general direction of food.

"Dinner!"

--

The general set the file heavily on the table. Hojo's interest in any particular cadet normally meant experiments and training bordering on the inhuman. He never enjoyed endorsing these "special cases", but a directive was a directive, and he knew better than to go against orders.

"Find out where Colonel Fair is. I need to have a word with him."

The SOLDIER 3rd Class saluted briskly and exited the room, leaving Sephiroth to sink into his seat and thoughts. It was not his place to question these endeavors of the Professor that the president had supported so wholeheartedly. Would he still support these experiments if he knew about the increasing pile of files in the corner of the laboratory with the blood red "FAILED" stamped on them like marginalized obituaries?

A muffled rap on the heavy wooden door snapped him out of his thoughts as the SOLDIER from earlier re-entered the room, the thick footsteps of his boots swallowed by the carpet which Sephiroth eyed carefully for mud stains.

"Colonel Fair is in the mess hall Sir."

The silver haired general raised a quizzical eyebrow. "The mess hall? SOLDIERS have our own cafeteria with a far more decent menu."

The SOLDIER 3rd Class shrugged, equally baffled, flinching unconsciously at the thought of mess hall dinners. "He is dining there with a cadet Sir."

Sephiroth rose from his seat in a flourish of silver and black, sweeping the file off the desk and slipping out of the room in a smooth motion.

"I will have to go down there myself then."

TBC

Please review.


	3. Chapter 3: Let's Begin

Author's Note;

Thanks for all the great reviews! I love you guys. I try my best to do as much research as I can while writing each chapter (but I do apologize if I get any of my facts wrong). Plus I love describing the movie that's playing in my head so it can play in yours too.

Disclaimer:

Most of this stuff just comes out of my ears as it comes to me. And right now my ears are choked with the lovely effects of flu. So please excuse the horrible English use every now and again.

Chapter three: Let's Begin

Zack prodded unhappily at the watered down mass of sorrow on tray with the spoon, trying desperately to smile, but inevitably lapsing into period bouts of sulking. His love for food aside, he _had_ to be more selective about where he dined next time. Cloud watched him in silent amusement, chewing slowly at his own unidentifiable lump of food. The free hand he had kept on his lap gingerly felt for the cellphone under the cloth of his thick pants, making certain it was still there before slipping back onto its fixed position on his knee.

"So..." Zack began, grappling for any topic in his mind to distract the blonde to the fact he was nudging his tray away. "Where are you from? You don't exactly act like these city boys here." he asked, gesturing at the particularly boisterous group that had burst out in another cacophony of loud chatter.

"Nibelheim." the younger man answered softly. This was the first time in entire year he had been here that he had spoken about his hometown. There, snow was beautiful. Intricate flakes drifted from the mountain top, resting in thick blankets on the roofs of warm houses filled with smiles and joy. Here, snow was another reason to make you suffer just a little longer. Each gust of harsh wind like a stinging slap across the face.

Zack nearly gagged on the food making its way down his throat. "What kind of backwater name is that?" he spluttered in between violent coughs. "Well, country boy, I'm from Gongaga!"

Cloud choked on his own food, though this time it wasn't because of what Zack said.

The constant racket of the mess hall faded into nothingness as the general walked into the large room, the crisp rap of his boot on the cement floor punctuating the deathly silence. His sharp eyes scanned over the stunned masses before him, then made his way towards the lone SOLDIER uniform in the crowd, seating himself from the dumbfounded Cloud on the bench next to Zack.

The young blonde, along with the entire cohort of cadets, jumped simultaneously to their feet in a hurried salute to the Shinra hero. Sephiroth cast them a cold look, nodding in acknowledgement before turning back to Zack who gave the silver haired man a puzzled look.

"Hey Sephiroth," the raven haired man grinned, sliding his half eaten meal towards the general. "Eaten?"

Sephiroth eyed the contents of the tray suspiciously, making a mental note to fire the kitchen staff of the mess hall, then pushed the tray towards the shell-shocked Cloud.

"Zack. You have a new assignment." a cold voice started, pushing a slim brown file towards the SOLDIER.

Zack raised an eyebrow at the file, taking it from the general and slipping it into his small messenger bag without so much as a glance at it. Having Sephiroth personally come to deliver the assignment meant it was something not meant for the audience of hundreds of cadets now perched on the edges of their seats in trepidation.

Cloud swallowed audibly as cold green eyes turned towards him. Sephiroth's gaze was far different from Zack's. While the raven haired SOLDIER's was full of warmth, Sephiroth's glowed with an icy blaze.

"Cloud Strife, am I correct?"

"Yes Sir."

Sephiroth nodded at the young man, rising from his the bench again. The general leaned forward as he got up, leaving Zack a final word of advice.

"Don't get too attached to this one."

--

Zack flung himself onto the bed with a contented purr, kicking off his boots and flinging them to the corner of the room he never bothered to organize. The heavy footwear sunk into the formidable pile of rumpled clothes and discarded documents with a soft thunk. Satisfied, the SOLDIER wriggled deeper into the mattress, the soft sheets moulding invitingly around him, lulling him into a temporary calm. His favorite part of the Shinra issued apartment was this bed, with its near hypnotic abilities to milk the tension right out of a body.

_One more thing..._

An arm reached lazily over the side of the bed, feeling for the file in his messenger bag. His fingers caught the edge of the slim manila folder and hoisted it onto his lap.

_Another trainee, huh?_

Zack gave an inward groan at the thought of having to train another SOLDIER hopeful, especially since the last two he had trained personally had ended up dropping out of the corps when it came to the mako infusions after the final test.

What was he doing wrong?

This was his personal failure, not being able to impart to his trainees the same ideals of honor and pride Angeal had passed onto him not too long ago. He thought they had what it took. He thought they had the passion and drive to take them far in life, maybe even to SOLDIER 2nd Class.

"This one will be different." he declared aloud, fingers gripping tightly around the file. "You will be SOLDIER."

He flipped open the file to gloss over his latest student's particulars, burning the name into his memory.

Strife, Cloud.

--

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU."

"TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN, DRILL SERGEANT!" the cadets hollered, exasperation laced in every syllable as they continued the insane exercise of squats with lead weights on their backs. Sweat coursed down their backs, soaking their shirts and heating the already stuffy gymnasium. The drill sergeant inspected his cohort of "lost cases", blasting an array of colorful vocabulary through a loud hailer from three feet away.

Cloud hissed an expletive of his own, pushing laboriously up against the weight on his shoulders. The sergeant's motto of "True strength begins with iron thighs" never made much sense to him, and less so with the immense weight of concrete crushing down on him. His eyes glanced over at the twelve cadets already near unconscious slumped against the wall in the far corner being seen to by an increasingly frustrated medic. Joining them was not an option.

"Excuse me..."

The drill sergeant spun around to bellow into the megaphone again a "WHAT DO YOU WANT." that rang through the large hall, reverberating against the walls.

Zack shook the ringing out from his ears, pushing the wailer away from his face with a dizzying mixture of annoyance and shock. The drill sergeant babbled an apology, flinging the loudhailer aside and bowing repeatedly at the SOLDIER 1st Class whose eardrums he had just attempted to remove.

"It's alright!" the raven haired man laughed. "I'm here to get Cadet Strife."

The sergeant stopped abruptly in mid-bow, a look a confusion on his face. "Strife?"

"Yeap."

"Are you sure?" the burly man asked slowly, turning his head to look at the small blonde boy struggling with the concrete slab on his shoulders. "He doesn't look-"

"We don't question the President's orders." Zack interrupted sternly, casting the large man a cold glare. "And neither should you."

The sergeant paused briefly, taken aback by the SOLDIER's sudden change in tone. He gulped noticeably and mumbled something unintelligible, lumbering towards the squad. Hefting the large concrete off the young man with one hand, he used the other to pick Cloud up by the collar and violently shoved him out of the platoon, attracting curious glances from the other recruits.

"All yours, Colonel."

Zack nodded sharply at the sergeant, striding over to Cloud still on his knees weak with the exertion from before.

"On your feet, recruit."

Cloud froze at the harshness in the SOLDIER's voice. It felt devoid of all evidence of that bubbly, over-excited man from the days before. He stood up slowly, swaying slightly from the effort to look the taller man in the eye. Zack's face was ashen, his bright eyes narrowed into dour glowing orbs, lips pressed into a thin emotionless line.

"Follow." he said, pivoting on his heel and walking briskly out of the gymnasium. The young blonde followed hesitantly, immediately wishing he was back doing concrete squats.

"One month. You'll be SOLDIER in one month."

TBC

Please review.


	4. Chapter 4: Three

Author's Note:

Updates will, unfortunately, come in slower from now on. I've been charged with writing a survival guide and have to get it done within the next week. I will, however, do my utmost to get the chapters out to you nice folk who review. )

Disclaimer:

I love Crisis Core... My girlfriend would kill me if she knew how much.

Chapter four: Three

Heavy footsteps staggered in the icy dirt, tracing a beeline across the parade square towards the barracks. His lead-like eyelids could barely bear their own weight, fluttering dangerously close to completely shut. Reddened welts rose from the palms of his bare hands from the countless sets of pushups, chin ups and bench presses that had been forced upon him in a seemingly relentless assault. His new instructor had made all those daily training sessions seem like a picnic, the word "again" pounded into his head till it hurt to even think.

He fell into his bunk, his entire being screaming for some reprieve and sleep clawing at his mind. There was a soft chime from his pocket. Cloud dragged a hand down the near non-existant mattress to his waist, retrieving the cellphone, and flicking it open wearily. It even hurt to move his fingers.

"Hey, sorry about today. It's for your own good. Trust me. See you at 5am. - Zack"

The exhausted cadet groaned, tossing the cellphone onto the chest of drawers next to his bunk. He stunk. Dirt and sweat clung to his hair, matting it down in unruly clumps, darkening his fair skin with grime. Grime he was now smearing onto his pillow. But it didn't matter.

All he cared about now was the darkness that was taking him away.

--

Cold.

Someone had shut off the heater in the showers again.

But there was no time for that now. He was late.

He stepped into the stream of icy water, letting it run in furtive rivers down his chest, back, over the slight goosebumps on his arms, through his hair. The refreshing cold splattered on his face, driving the last remnants of sleep from his mind. He ran a hand through his short blonde hair, feeling the inertia in his limps slowly ebb away with the water.

_No time..._

He quickly finished his shower, shutting off the water and changing swiftly into his PT attire and hustling out the door towards the field. He knew better than to be late for the colonel's training sessions.

A tall black silhouette was already perched on the steps as he arrived, rising as the young cadet approached, steeling his expression over. It was more or less routine now. Every morning 5am at the parade square. Hours dissolved into days, days into weeks, and the barrage of exercises now just a constant blur that swept him along. His body gradually acclimatized to the fervor of physical training, bolstering his resistance to lethargy, exhaustion and the niggling self doubt in his mind.

The only thing he had yet to get used to was his instructor.

The SOLDIER 1st Class was still the hyper, cheerful young man he had met in the parade square not too long ago. Someone he would spend his evenings with, watching the tiny television in his apartment over jokes and more takeout. But from 5am to 6pm, he was the cold, reserved, uncompromising Colonel Fair.

Zack looked his trainee squarely in the eye. 3 weeks on and Cloud already had the stance of a fighter. Gone was the uncertainty of the boy from Nibelheim, replaced by quiet confidence that glowed subdued behind those sky blue eyes. He was almost ready.

"Let's go." Zack instructed quietly, trekking up the steps. Cloud's lips parted in the beginnings of a question he quickly swallowed. Their usual training grounds were in the other building...

He followed the taller man wordlessly up the stairs, his eyes fixated on his back. Honor. The raven haired man had committed his life to living the word, and so would he. The simple and sparse words of encouragement during training drove Cloud forward with fierce determination. Over the three weeks, he found new purpose in his increasingly dismal tenure in the Shinra corps. He wanted to be SOLDIER. He had to be SOLDIER. If not for himself, then for Zack.

The SOLDIER was more than just an instructor to the young cadet. He was a friend, an inspiration, the voice in his head. His hero, in so many ways.

They passed through the thick steel doors to find themselves in a vast hallway, smooth marble adorning the walls and floor in a grand show of opulence. The sun was just beginning to rise through the great glass windows that cascaded from ceiling to floor in every direction, spilling warm orange glows across the night-cold floor. Zack walked towards one of them, watching the gradual progression of the fiery orb as he readied the words in his heart at the back of his throat.

"Rule one. Dream."

Zack's voice resounded through the building, driving each word into his young protégé's skull.

"Rule two. Uphold your honor."

"And rule three. Never turn your sword against those who mean you no harm."

Cloud's eye widened in surprise as the raven haired man turned, a large package wrapped in thick black cloth in his hands. He offered this to the blonde who reached for it, heart fluttering with anticipation. Thin fingers enclosed around the hilt, pulling it free of its black wrappings to reveal the polished and immaculate surface of a sword. The glint off the precise point at the end cast a myriad of reflected light scattering across the walls. Cloud gripped the hilt of the sword firmly, not entirely sure what to do with it, but utterly entranced by its beauty. It was enough for him to throw down his rifle.

"Today, we begin advanced weaponry." Zack began, watching the young blonde marvel at the artwork in his hands. "The sword is the basic weapon of any SOLDIER. It is an extension of you. It is your soul. Your life. Your hopes. Your dreams. Your honor. Wield it with the same respect you would your entire being."

"You're almost ready."

--

His heavy combat boots crunched through pillow of white snow that coated the camp, icing anything it touched, throwing a deathly still in its wake. The sword was strapped firmly to his back, the tip barely clearing the ground as it swayed with his every step. The initial excitement about wielding a sword quickly gave way to exhaustion and large reddened blisters scattered mercilessly across his palms.

The darkened silhouette of the barracks loomed into view, and so did the large variety of objects scattered on the frozen ground before it. Cloud swore loudly as he ran towards his belongings now strewn in all directions, picking up muddied clothes and personal effects as he rushed towards the duffel bag slightly frozen and half buried by snow. He pounded the locked door with his bare fists, earning him a violent kick from the other side, sending him sprawling in the dirt.

Heads and voices emerged from the many dirty windows of the barracks, chorusing with snide remarks and cutting words.

"Special my ass!"

"You're not one of us!"

"Sell out!"

Cloud winced as he felt small objects pelt his back and head from behind, bruising his fair skin with their pitiless force. Someone launched a sharp rock at his head, impacting his head with a sickening thud and crack. He blinked away the small trickle of blood that stung his eye, scrambling to his feet and walking towards his things stained in mud and dirt. Cowards. He shut his mind to the comments, forcibly chucking his belongings into the dark green duffel, lugging the engorged bag along as he stalked angrily away from the barracks. The taunts and increased isolation from the rest of the cadets had been steadily building up over the past weeks. But all those teasing and picked fights he had no interest in partaking in paled in comparison to what they were doing now.

All he knew is he had to get away from there. Away from the coarse laughter ringing in his mind. Away from the stink of jealousy. He needed to be somewhere safe. He needed to be wanted. He needed to belong. He needed...

He needed Zack.

Pulling the dirt stained coat closer around himself, he trudged unthinkingly towards the tall building that was the SOLDIER headquarters.

--

Zack hopped gingerly out of the shower, toweling his hair dry as he slipped into a pair of excessively comfortable track pants. It had been a long day, but his student was taking onto the weapon remarkably quickly, showing talent that far surpassed his already crack shot with the rifle. Cloud had the makings of a great SOLDIER operative...

_... Just like the other two._

He exhaled loudly, plodding into the kitchen to retrieve a can of beer from the counter cluttered with beer cans and empty bags of chips. He glanced guiltily at the counter, Cloud's reproachful voice sounding in his head reminding him to clear up after himself. A smile unconsciously slipped across his face. Training sessions with Cloud had taken up the greater part of his days now, removing him from the roster of SOLDIER operatives available for missions and skirmishes. But he didn't particularly mind this downtime, looking forward to waking up at ungodly hours to meet the young blonde. He watched the cadet morph both mentally and physically into someone ready to take on the world.

He wasn't too different not too long ago.

The doorbell rang, snapping him out of his daze. He set the can of beer down on the counter, making his way towards the door and yanking it open with a...

"Cloud?"

--

"I'll kill them!" Zack roared, pacing the room furiously, pausing once in a while to check that Cloud had the bag of ice firmly against the back of his head. "Those low-life, scum-eating, cowardly..."

The rest of this sentence was lost in a smudge of curses, eliciting a small smile from Cloud. Zack looked rather adorable in his state of fluster, flopping up and down behind the couch Cloud was on. The younger man perched himself at the edge of the sofa, literally drowning in clothes the SOLDIER had lent him.

"It's alright, Zack..." Cloud said softly, setting the ice pack down. Zack leapt onto the couch next to him, thrusting the compress back onto the bruise with a stern look.

"Keep it there or you'll have two heads by tomorrow morning." he warned. "And it's not alright. They're Shinra cadets! And if they want to be a soldier, they have to act it."

The SOLDIER fumed quietly, throwing himself back against the couch with a displeased huff. Cloud watched him out of the corner of his eye, leaning back as well, feeling the side of his head numb over from the ice. He had never been so close to Zack, always shrugging away any unnecessary contact with anyone since he had left his hometown. But with the taller man, he felt safe. Secure. Warm.

_And he smells good too..._

Sky blue eyes widened in surprise at the thought that swam into his mind, before sagging close again. Sleep was beginning to eat away at his thoughts that slipped further and further from conscious steering, his mind filling slowly with a soothing strong voice that was mumbling curses next to him.

Zack felt a slight bump on his shoulder, turning his head to look at Cloud who had unwittingly passed out from the entire exertion of the day's training combined with the drama of the evening. He smiled at the rarely peaceful boy asleep against him, stretching out an arm to pull him closer. The young blonde mumbled something incoherent, snuggling slightly to get closer to the warmth next to him. The raven haired man gently eased the ice pack away from the younger man's hand, tossing it deftly in the general direction of the kitchen sink.

His eyes rested briefly on Cloud's sword propped up against the wall next to his own buster sword.

"You don't know this, Chocobo head," Zack said to the unconscious boy. "But I only ever give three gifts."

"You've got two now."

TBC

Please review.


	5. Chapter 5: Testing Me

Author's Note:

I wasn't particularly happy with how the last chapter turned out. So I'm trying harder in this one. Updates might come slower. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW.

Disclaimer:

Characters aren't mine. I'm just in love with them.

Chapter five: Testing Me

Food.

Zack bolted upright from the couch, hauling himself to his feet and dragging his feet towards the kitchen before finally opening his eyes. The fog of sleep ebbed away from his vision, revealing the back of a young cadet busying himself over the stove. Zack stretched himself out, briefly wondering when he even had a stove before returning his gaze to the small frame swimming within his faded Shinra guards shirt. The SOLDIER could still make out the lithe figure moving under the thin material of the shirt, his eyes moving slowly down from the sharp angle of the shoulders, the arc of the spine, the slim waist, the slight curve of his-

"French toast will be ready in 2 minutes." Cloud said without turning around. He swiftly added the soaked bread to the pan with a loud sizzle, snapping Zack's attention away from his back and onto the contents of the pan. The blonde made his way towards the kitchen counter shortly, bearing two plates full of hot toast smothered in a generous dollop of honey. He set one down in front of an extremely enthusiastic Zack who promptly began wolfing them down with gusto.

"These are great!" he chirped in between mouthfuls, earning him a look of feigned reproach from Cloud.

"You really should try to use your stove." Cloud said, popping a small piece of toast in his mouth and chewing on it slowly. "I had to fight off a colony of spiders to get to it."

Zack flashed him a broad grin, waving his cellphone in the air triumphantly. "All I need is my phone, Chocobo."

Cloud sighed, turning back to his food. The two ate in silence for a while, neither feeling the need for any conversation. Cloud prodded his fork at the toast, watching Zack from the tops of his eyes, feeling a slight rush spiral down his neck knowing that the wide smile across his contented face was his doing.

_Stop it, Strife. _He berated himself silently. _He's your teacher._

Zack looked up from his now-empty plate, licking the rest of the honey off his fingers, much to Cloud's unbidden fascination. "Hey... I was thinking of having a dinner in the apartment a couple of weeks from now. Do you mind cooking something?"

Cloud gave the SOLDIER a look of utter bafflement. He wanted him to do what?

"Well, I mean... You can cook..." Zack began, turning his gaze away in embarrassment. "And I figured it would be nice to-"

"When is it?"

The taller man looked up with a exhilarated gleam in his eyes.

"The 7th of February. You're invited too."

--

Two figures left the SOLDIER building, a soft chatter rising from the both of them as they made their way towards the gymnasium. The swords glinted off both their backs as the cold metal caught the rays of the late morning sun. The parade square was already far from empty, filling quickly with the sound of several squads of cadets and guards finishing their morning training rounds.

A lone figure approached them.

"Colonel Fair?"

Zack grinned at the cadet in front of him, never quite getting used to his new rank. The young man shot him an uneasy frown from under his helmet, motioning for the Colonel to follow him. The raven haired SOLDIER turned to the waiting Cloud, gesturing wildly for him to go ahead until the blonde understood the frantic waving.

The other two had disappeared into a nearby administration building when Cloud neared the gymnasium, sighing as the black spikes vanished behind great glass doors and beyond his sight. He turned back towards the thick doors of the gym only to find a large fist rocketing towards his face.

He sprung backwards, narrowly missing the heavy punch thrown at him, sliding to a stop several feet away. His right hand was already poised on the hilt of the sword on his back, eyes narrowed in a mess of confusion, anger and steeled concentration.

The group of stout cadets sniggered amongst themselves, advancing slowly on the young blonde. Cloud's eyes darted frantically about as the five muscle-strapped bodies surrounded him, closing off his last glimpse of the administration building.

_Zack..._

"Lover boy ain't here to protect you now, chicken shit." one of them jeered, cracking his knuckles, jolting the blonde's heartbeat up several painful notches. Someone threw another punch that Cloud quickly dodged, retaliating swiftly with a precise kick to the knee, popping the joint of place.

The injured cadet howled in pain, collapsing to the ground in a heap of flailing limbs, swinging one wild punch after another. Cloud side stepped them all, to find himself backing up into another hulking body.

An impossibly large hand found its way around Cloud's neck in an instant, lifting the smaller youth right off his feet and out of kicking reach.

"We're the ones going up to SOLDIER, runt." he spat angrily. "Shinra is going to see they made a mistake with you."

There was a bright flash of steel.

And a splatter of crimson.

Cloud landed heavily on his knee, hands gripping the hilt of the drawn sword firmly, his strained breaths heaving his small frame up and down. The second cadet clutched his arm in pain, eyes fixated in fear at the blood stained tip of the sword that sliced neatly through most of the muscle of his upper arm.

"Damn you!"

Cloud ducked sharply as two fists tried their utmost to catch him in the back, pressing his body against the ground. The two who had attempted to hit him staggered several steps forward, failing to hit their target and colliding headfirst into the large concrete wall behind him with a stomach-churning crunch.

The one who first spoke drew himself up to full height, a good two heads above Cloud, striding towards the blonde, rage darkening his eyes. Cloud raised his sword again only to have it violently knocked out of his hands moments later. A knee connected with his abdomen, tossing his limp body into the air before being violently smashed into the ground by a fist ground between his shoulder blades.

He could feel the concrete of the floor pierce the skin on his face.

He could taste the copper of blood in his mouth.

He could sense the boot being launched downwards towards the back of his head.

_Zack... Where are you..._

He flipped swiftly onto his back as the enormous boot came crushing down where his head was, shattering the concrete. Cloud spun on his back, kicking his assailant off his feet, sending the larger man crashing to the ground.

His hand reached frantically for the sword, his fingers snaking around the hilt. In a flash he was above the man, the point of his sword hovering millimeters from his quivering throat.

"Cloud!"

Cloud turned quickly to see Zack running towards him, a look of crazed anxiety in his eyes. The sword fell the ground in a loud clatter, the blonde sinking into the ground shortly after, falling exhausted onto his knees.

Zack reached the younger man, gripping his shoulders tightly and checking him for any serious injuries. Bright blue eyes stared unseeingly into the ground, wide yet blank, screaming with questions.

First blood was always difficult to handle.

Zack held the shaking younger man in his arms protectively as Shinra guards swarmed around them, cuffing the dragging away the unconscious bodies of the attackers.

"I'm here now." the SOLDIER whispered quietly into Cloud's ear.

It was only then that Cloud relaxed, slumping unconscious into the taller man's chest.

--

The door opened with a quiet click and thick boots entered the room, stopping briefly to scuff at the plus carpeting. Zack knew Sephiroth was not in, and leaving the sleeping blonde in his apartment alone was something he did not want to do, but he wanted to submit his report on his trainee as soon as he could.

Taking down 5 men alone. The boy had talent. And what it took to go to the next level.

He set the file onto the general's desk, pushing aside some other files that had already been laid out awaiting the silver haired SOLDIER's return. He grinned cheekily, turning to leave when two slim files on the ground caught his eye.

"What a slob." he laughed at the uncharacteristic untidiness of the general's office, squatting briefly to pick up the fallen files.

The looked familiar.

That looked like the gravy stain Sephiroth had yelled at him about.

Zack flipped open the file cautiously, his eyes widening as it fell on the name of his previous student, large red words now stamped across his grinning picture.

"FAILED. DECEASED."

The other did nothing to relieve the mounting fear that clutched at his throat.

_So they didn't drop out..._

He got up shakily, setting the two files down on the desk. Shaking fingers flipped open the file he had so triumphantly put down not so long ago. He fumbled for a pen in the drawer, literally ripping off the cap and scribbling frenetically on the page.

"STRIFE, CLOUD. Failed SOLDIER assessment. In need of further training."

--

The professor cast a glacial gaze over the five incapacitated cadets in various states of distress in the ward. His bony fingers pushed up the wiry spectacles on the bridge of his nose, then tracing the lines of data he had amassed from the injuries of the recruits. This... Strife, was indeed a very good candidate for his next test.

His perpetual scowl dipped into an even more bitter frown as his eyes trailed over the words next to the blonde cadet's name. He managed to do all this damage and was still not allowed to progress from SOLDIER training?

Science waited for no one.

He turned and left the room, motioning for the guard at the door to follow him. The young man paused momentarily, not enjoying the thought of having to be in the proximity of the professor.

"I want you to find this Cadet Strife for me. He has an appointment."

TBC

Please Review.


	6. Chapter 6: You know you want it

Author's Note:

Thanks for the reviews! I know it's agonizing reading one chapter at a time, and believe me, it's agonizing needing to sleep though I want to get this story out of my head. I know what you mean Toons. I spent TWO MONTHS pacing outside the final battle, knowing exactly what was going to happen at the end. My pacing earned me 9999HP and a maxed out ATK. All in hopes of maybe changing the ending.

I finished the game last Friday (I actually started pacing around in April).

But all it did was make the ending seem less believable. :\ (HOW CAN YOU KILL MY 9999HP CHARACTER WITH A GAZILLION ELIXERS?! HUH? HUH?)

Oh well. I'm replaying the entire game from the start. :)

Disclaimer:

I'M WRITING THIS WHILE AT WORK! BAD BAD BAD EMPLOYEE! Writing on the job (about another company's game, nonetheless) -ducks under the desk-

Chapter six: You know you want it

Cloud awoke groggily, his vision struggling to adjust in the darkness. The room was cold, unfamiliar, yet strangely comforting. He raised his arm to his eyes, rubbing the sleep from them before noticing a mound of soft dark spikes next to him.

He turned soundlessly onto his side, quieting his breathing as he watched the SOLDIER sleep seated on the chair drawn up next to the bed, his head and arms sprawled in an unruly fashion on the edge of the bed. A small chuckle floated from the blonde's lips, causing the mess of spikes to stir with a sleepy grumble.

Bright mako eyes blinked and focused on the boyish face staring at him, twinkling gently with a smile.

"You're up."

Cloud nodded, not moving from his position even as his mentor sat up and made a great show of stretching out the tired knots from his muscles.

"Hey... Cloud, Listen..." Zack began. He had always hated lying, and neither was he very good at it. But dire situations called for desperate actions.

A lie wouldn't hurt.

"The... Company decided you're not cut out for SOLDIER..."

"What?!"

Zack was taken aback by Cloud's sudden outburst. The piercing tear-filled glare from those clear blue eyes made the SOLDIER's heart leap to his throat, suffocating him, tearing him apart. But he had to. Even if it meant shattering this young cadet's dreams.

He wouldn't let Cloud die.

The strangled cry of exasperation from the blonde numbed his senses. He didn't even flinch as Cloud stormed out of the room, slamming the bedroom door behind him.

--

"Cloud... Come on... It's been two weeks..."

"Go away, Zack." Came the muffled reply from behind the door. The raven-haired youth slumped wearily against the door of his bedroom. His entire body ached from having to sleep on the couch every night.

He rapped his knuckles against the door again with a sigh. "Get out of there, Chocobo. I made you lunch..."

There was a stifled snort from inside the room at the thought of the SOLDIER cooking before the door creaked open, sending Zack falling backwards into the room. Cloud picked the plate of noodles off Zack's stomach, marching right back into the room and seating himself at the desk the SOLDIER never noticed he had.

The older man hauled himself off the floor, partly surprised at the state of his room. The blonde had spent the good part of the two weeks packing away the mess that was Zack's room, exposing the clean parquet floor for the first time in months. Light filtered in through the rarely drawn curtains, illuminating the desk and the young cadet in front of it.

Zack watched the younger man wolf down the noodles, a grin smeared across his face like strawberry jam. The small frame of the boy before him was lost in the large shirt he had fished out and helped himself to from Zack's cupboard. The bruises and wounds from the fight weeks ago had long since healed, the sunlight glowing softly around his flawless skin as testimony for his rapid recovery. His eyes trailed a line down the curve of the younger man's cheek. He looked so young...

"This is disgusting." the young cadet mumbled between mouthfuls of noodles.

Zack laughed, walking over to the smaller youth and tousling the blonde locks. "I know! That's incentive to help me cook for tonight!"

A glum look of realization fell across Cloud's face as he set the chopsticks back down onto the nearly empty plate. "Oh... Right... What was it for again?"

The SOLDIER frowned, crossing his arms across his chest in mock anger. "It's my friend's birthday tonight! Thought it would be a great opportunity for the two important people in my life to meet. You didn't forget did you?"

"No..." Cloud began, turning towards the taller man. "But I can't whip up a gourmet meal with beer cans and celery."

The older man beamed at his protégé briefly before turning to rummage through the neat stack of clothes in his cupboard, much to Cloud's frustration. He emerged shortly after with a pair of black pants and a simple white shirt. "Put these on. We're going to the market!"

--

Cloud wondered why he didn't find these earlier in Zack's cupboard. The pants fit nicely on him, hanging off his waist with the lack of a belt that wasn't already attached to a confusion of cloth, buckles and leather. The white shirt was apparently a birthday gift Zack had never worn. The blonde couldn't help but cast a sideways glance at himself at every reflective surface they passed, a gesture Zack didn't miss and quickly took to teasing the young blonde about it.

There was only one definitive store to get fresh foods from in Midgar, and eating fresh didn't come cheap in the industrial city. Cloud scoured the shelves for various items, ever so often picking something up and tossing it nonchalantly to Zack whose intermittent pleas for inhumanly large bars of chocolate were quickly ignored.

The young recruit turned his gaze to a small bottle perched at the top shelf, a scowl materializing on his tightly pressed lips. The folks who owned this store sure did not like people putting pepper in their food.

Taking in a deep breath, Cloud began doing the unthinkable - jumping and flailing his arms in futile attempts to snag the small glass container.

Zack laughed, earning him a glare from the smaller youth.

"Let me at it." he said, smoothly gliding behind the blonde, reaching up for the bottle with ease. Cloud's breath caught in his throat, feeling the strong chest pressed against his back, the warmth of Zack's one arm reached out to the shelf just next to him, the heady scent of his skin.

And in an instant, it was gone again.

"There we go!" Zack smiled triumphantly, waving the bottle in front of Cloud's expressionless face.

The blonde snapped himself out of his apparent daze, snatching the bottle from the SOLDIER and walking briskly towards the cashier, pulling the collar up around his face to hide the deep blush that had crept onto his cheeks.

Zack scratched his head in puzzlement, hesitantly following the young blonde.

"What?"

--

He deposited the overflowing shopping bags heavily on the dusty ground, flopping onto the bench with a tired grunt. The young blonde sat himself quietly next to the older man, not letting go of the considerably smaller bags in his hands. Zack had insisted on carrying the bulkier items, and had consistently fished about the bags in Cloud's hands for any more items he could transfer and stuff into his bags.

The train station was completely empty.

"Zack..." Cloud started, his eyes boring holes into the cans of food in his bags. "I'm sorry."

The raven-haired man raised an eyebrow. "Sorry?"

"That I failed the SOLDIER test." the young cadet said quietly, swallowing the mounting tide of disappointment in his voice. "And for reacting the way I did."

"I'm just glad I don't have to shower in the gym anymore!" Zack laughed, leaning back into the sun warmed wood of the bench. "Those guys NEVER clean in there."

"I'll go back to the barracks tomorrow." Cloud continued. "But I'll still do my best and try to get into SOLDIER some day."

Zack smiled, tinges of guilt stabbing him with every word that escaped the blonde's lips. "I'll still train with you, if you'd like..."

"You're my hero, Zack." the younger man said quickly. "More than a hero in fact. An inspiration. I've tried my best everyday so that I could be like you. Good enough for you."

"You don't have to be good enough for-"

Cans of tomato sauce clattered to the ground, spinning and rolling off in a dozen directions.

Zack's eyes widened at the feeling of soft lips ardently pressed against his. Blonde hair enmeshed in black spikes. He could almost taste the sweet tang of the young man leaning over him, a gentle hand pressed tentatively against his chest, tossing caution to the wind, baring his soul and heart in one kiss.

_This is wrong..._

Soft voices and muted alarms went off in Zack's head as he lost himself in intense tide that was Cloud. He found himself pushing back into the kiss, deepening it, tasting him, breathing him. Something ignited in him, screaming above the tumult in his mind that it felt so right, right there on the bench, his arms wrapped around the young cadet.

_But you know you want it._

After what seemed like eons, the young blonde finally pulled away reluctantly for the need to breathe again. "You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that." Cloud said breathlessly, a bright red flush tainting his face.

Zack smiled at the younger man, not bearing to tear his gaze away from those beautiful blue eyes and the small blonde youth who had just turned his life upside down.

A ring from his cellphone reminded him that he was not quite ready to get lost in this new world yet.

--

"NOT IN THERE!"

Cloud wrestled the pot away from Zack's hands already poised to throw in a strange assortment of meat and vegetables. The blonde gave the SOLDIER a look to melt glaciers, setting the pot of soup back onto the stove with a annoyed sigh. He grabbed the contents in the raven-haired man's hands, tossing it into a skillet and quickly onto the stove before scurrying off towards the oven.

Zack sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter. He had only been "helping" Cloud for fifteen minutes and had succeeded in burning the chicken and melting two plates. He glanced about the kitchen for something else he could offer his culinary services in, fingers finding a small snack on the table and his mouth taking a great bite out of it.

"ZACK!"

Cloud stormed across the kitchen, snatching the large hunk of ham out of Zack's hand, giving the enormous bite mark in it a dejected sigh.

"Zack... Go take a shower or something... Before I decapitate you with this spoon..." Cloud said, giving the older man an exasperated look.

Zack winked at the blonde and pushed himself away from the counter. His hand lingered briefly on the younger man's small waist before he turned out of the kitchen, earning him a bright red blush from Cloud as he hopped gingerly off towards the bathroom. The blonde turned back to the kitchen with renewed determination. Back to work.

His hands flew across the stove, tossing the contents of the skillet, flipping the meat, stirring the soup. It had been a long time since he had cooked a meal. It was invigorating, feeling the last remnants of his disappointment and sadness evaporating with the steam.

He almost didn't hear the doorbell.

"Hello?"

Cloud spun around as a beautiful young girl walked cautiously into the apartment. Her fingers played unconsciously with the pink bow in her hair as she wandered in, looking for any signs of the owner. Her soft hazel eyes fell on the surprised blonde in the kitchen and a gentle smile came to her, seeming to brighten the entire room with its muted radiance.

She approached Cloud, sticking out a hand to shake his.

"Hello! You must be Zack's friend."

"Yeah..." Cloud spluttered, wiping down his greasy hand on the apron before taking her slim hand in his. "I'm Cloud."

She smiled again. "I'm Aerith."

TBC

Please review!

Also, those who like happy endings should stop here. Or skip the next chapter.


	7. Chapter 7: Idiot

Author's Note:

My apologies for this chapter. I'm a really angsty writer at heart, and I cannot help the horrible "oh-my-goodness-everything-is-going-wrong" kind of chapters. Angst and emo are infectious. Hence the warning from the last chapter.

Disclaimer:

I'm late for work... Drat.

Chapter seven: Idiot

The doorbell had rung somewhere in the hushed bustle of the apartment, but Zack barely heard it under the pounding of water rushing over his head. He stared at the bottles of shampoo through sopping black bangs, eyes running over the words but all he saw was the train station. The bench. And Cloud upheaving everything he thought he knew about himself.

"Idiot..."

He leaned his forehead against the cool shower wall, trying to soothe the thick inferno of conflict in his mind. This was not supposed to happen. He was supposed to be in love with Aerith. And love was not something you just lost in the span of one afternoon.

But he could not possibly ignore this.

He rammed a fist into the wall, sending hairline cracks scampering wildly across the tiles. The hot water trickled in steady streams down his face, turning salty with the tears that now fell from his eyes.

Tomorrow. He would talk to Aerith tomorrow.

But for now, he had guests. And it was his girlfriend's birthday.

--

Aerith had been busying herself helping Cloud set the small table. The blonde watched her out of the corner of his eyes, thoroughly more at ease that it was not Zack who was handling the fragile plates. But there was something about this girl he could not quite put his finger on. He felt so calm when she was around, a striking contrast from the daily tumult of life in the Shinra academy.

"Do you work with Zack?"

The cadet looked up from the pan of vegetables he was slowly spooning onto a plate. Aerith was watching him intently, resting her elbows against the kitchen counter.

"No," he answered, handing the plate to the brunette with a small smile. "He's my mentor in SOLDIER, actually."

She chuckled, turning back towards the table with another plate of food. "Zack's always talking about you. His 'Golden Boy'."

Cloud sighed as he followed her with the steaming pot of soup. How he wished he was anywhere near as talented as Zack always said he was. There was a dull thud from the bathroom, followed by a muffled howl of pain.

Aerith laughed brightly. "Oh Zack..."

Cloud looked at the cheerful young woman seated next to him. She was the image of poise and benevolence, calm and peace. A strange opposite of the combustive spontaneity of a certain raven haired SOLDIER...

"You and Zack must be close," Cloud commented. He wasn't much for conversing with strangers, but there was something about her that was different. Something that made him feel right at ease with himself, dropping all his guards. If Zack could trust her, he definitely could.

She laughed.

"We should be. I'm his girlfriend."

--

Zack strolled jauntily into the room, toweling off his long raven hair before nonchalantly tossing the fluffy white material on the nearest couch. The fragrant aroma of the food already cooling on the table sent excited trembles in his empty stomach. Everything was set. Everything was perfect. Everything was-

Where was everyone?

Zack looked up and about the apartment to spot a distraught looking Aerith hovering by the open door. A stunned paleness foreign to her was cast over her face as her gaze strained unwaveringly at the empty corridor.

"Where's Cloud?" he asked, his eyes sweeping over the empty kitchen. The pots and pans were piled up in the sink unwashed. _Cloud would probably make me clean that up..._ he thought, a grin playing at the corners of his lips.

Aerith finally turned away from the door, looking up at the excited SOLDIER sadly. The words felt strange on her lips. "He... Left."

"Left? Where?"

Aerith shook her head sadly.

Zack's eyes widened in tragic realization. _Cloud..._ He started towards the door. He had to find him. He had to explain everything. He could not have the best feeling that had ever happened to him walk right out of the door without a fight from him. He was halfway out the door before stopping abruptly.

_Aerith's waiting for you..._

"Go to him."

Zack looked up from the open door at the young woman who had placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Her touch alone always seemed to make things better. But not this time.

"I'm sorry, Aerith... I-"

She shushed him with a gentle finger against his lips. "I'll be waiting here when the two of you come back."

Zack nodded briefly, then ran out the door. She shut the large wooden door soundlessly, moving towards the empty table set for three before sitting herself down and finally allowing herself to sigh.

"Happy birthday, Aerith."

--

The rain was pelting against his face, plastering his soaked blonde hair against his tear stained cheeks. He was running. He did not know where he was going, how long he had been running, where he was, or even why he was running.

He just needed to get away from Zack.

_Idiot... What made you think you could have him..._

He wiped his face futilely with his hand, the reddened palm stinging upon contact with the salt of his hot tears. But that pain was nothing compared to the crippling ache in his heart.

He almost wished it would stop beating.

_"We should be." Aerith laughed lightly. "I'm his girlfriend."_

_Cloud started, his hand lazily stirring the soup loosened its grip on the ladle, sending it splashing noisily into the soup, dousing his entire hand in boiling hot liquid. Aerith gave a terrified yelp, quickly leaning forward to salvage the young blonde's bright pink hand._

_The young man jerked his hand away from her touch, missing the shocked and hurt look in her bright green eyes. He clutched his wrist, a tight knot growing in his gut as his eyes began to water._

_"I... I have to go."_

_She reached for him as he quickly got up and all but ran out of the apartment._

The lack of breathing finally caught up to him and he sank onto the steps leading up to the marble halls sobbing uncontrollably. His legs collapsed under him as he crumpled onto the cold, wet ground, the last of his energy and will leaving him in a torrent of pained screams muffled by the concrete.

How could he have been so foolish...

Zack never loved him. And never would. Aerith was perfect for him. And he was just...

A failure.

"There you are..."

Cloud's gaze snapped upwards from the ground to the intruder, his hands immediately curling into tight fists, ready to fend of whatever came.

"Professor?"

--

Zack was running, his eyes darting frantically about, yearning for something, anything that would lead him to the young blonde. His voice had run hoarse with the endless calling out of his name. The rain was relentless, restricting his vision to mere meters ahead.

He pulled out his cellphone again, punching in the numbers he had long committed to memory. But the other line was dead. He stumbled on a low wall next to the parade square, a string of curses escaped him in exasperated cries. The SOLDIER 1st Class exhaled harshly, flopping himself onto the wall, burying his face in his hands as hope began to wane in him.

"Cloud... Where are you..."

"Looking for me?"

The SOLDIER spun around, relief pouring into him as he heard the familiar mellow voice. All this relief promptly drained out of him, replaced with horror as he was met not with the face of his student, but with the edge of a sword pointed directly at his heart.

Mako blue eyes stared into cold sky blue. "What are you doing..."

Cloud's eyes were narrowed in pure hatred, his hand gripped tightly around the hilt of the sword.

"You... You failed my SOLDIER test..." he hissed, advancing on the weaponless SOLDIER. "Was it just another ploy? Just some game to you? Like my feelings? Taking my heart, hopes, and dreams and crushing them?"

"It's not like that. Cloud, you have to-"

"I DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING YOU SAY." Cloud roared, thrusting the blade forward in a swift precise motion. Just like he was taught.

Zack dodged the blow, rolling swiftly to his side as the cold metal traced a thin line across his arm. The cadet quickly pivoted on his right foot, swinging the sword back down again with lightning speed, another attack Zack easily side stepped. Cloud let out an enraged yell, raising the blade above his head once again.

In a flash of black and splattered rain, the SOLDIER kicked the blade out of the small hand, rushing forward to grab the younger man's wrist in his. He pressed his body against the smaller frame, forcing the blonde to look him in the eye, trying desperately to tell him the convoluted mess of thoughts in his mind.

The sword fell. Cloud reached out his left hand, expertly catching the hilt again, and in one clean move stabbing it into Zack's side.

The grip on his wrist loosened. The raven haired man staggered backwards slowly, his eyes never leaving Cloud's emotionless stare. Zack gave him a pained smile.

"Perfectly done."

Then he collapsed onto the side of the pavement, his vision hazing over slowly. A name escaped his lips in a breathless whisper, his hand reaching out feebly to the receding back walking back towards the waiting Professor Hojo.

Then, silence.

TBC

Please review. Sorry for the emo.

I might come back in the future to revamp this chapter (vocabulary and grammar wise. Not plot wise. Sorry. lol)


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note:

My apologies again for the cliffhanger in the last chapter. Sleep, however secondary, was calling for my immediate attention at 1am. And now, at 7am, I'm regretting not falling asleep on my computer earlier. This will be the last chapter. Thanks for sticking with me through this. I'm trying my utmost to get this chapter to you as soon as humanly possible while maintaining a shred of grammar I can be proud of.

This will be short.

Disclaimer:

My rice is boiling...

Chapter eight:

The sickening smell of sterilized cold wafted nauseatingly to his nose, teasing, tickling them jolting right out of the fitful sleep he was in. The machine next to him bleeped in annoyance as the tubes in his arm jostled violently.

His head... There was a marching band in there and the trumpets were going way out of line.

"You need to rest." a soothing voice commanded. Bright blue eyes swam over to see the young woman, her brow twisted in concern. He brushed her hand away with a groggy grunt, wincing as a sharp pain seared through his side.

"You're lucky to still be here..." she said quietly, her rejected hand falling back onto her lap as she turned her gaze away from him and onto the ground.

Zack's calloused fingers grazed over the thick swath of bandages over his abdomen, still feeling the curious tingle of the many cure spells they had used on him. But aside from that, he felt nothing. The cavernous emptiness in him was crushing, sucking the happiness right out of his body.

_"I DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING YOU SAY!"_

Raven bangs fell in front of glowing eyes aching with dejection. Cloud was right. He didn't have the right to tell the young blonde to do anything. Not after everything he had put him through.

He should have protected him.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, pulling the tubes calmly out from his slightly swollen veins. The long needles slid painfully out of his arm, earning themselves a sharp hiss and a violent toss to the ground from the dark haired SOLDIER. He hauled himself off the bed, slipping his feet into the combat boots laid out neatly by the side with his shirt.

"Where are you going?"

Zack paused, slipping his arms into the loose shirt. Where was he going? He didn't know where Cloud was. He didn't know if the blonde would attack him again. All he knew was he could not and would not fail to protect the young man again. The words slipped out from him as convoluted as they were in his head. "I want to- I need to get to..."

"Cloud?" she said quietly. "I don't understand, Zack... He's the one who did this to you..."

"Aerith... I want to explain this..." he began, turning to take her hands into his. "But I can't. Not right now. Not when I don't really understand this myself."

She sighed and turned her gaze back to painfully white floor of the medical bay. Part of her wanted to stop him as staggered out of the room. Part of her wanted to ask him to stay. Yet part of her wanted to tell him that she understood. They needed each other more than they loved. And they could love so much more than they needed.

She placed a hand on the quickly dissipating warmth where his body was mere seconds ago, letting herself cry.

--

The tanned man crept stealthily down the corridor, slinking from one shadow to the next, slipping just under the detection of the multiple cameras dotted along the path. The science department was a maze of doors and dead ends, many of which Zack had already tried in futile desperation. Time was running out and he knew it.

His cellphone vibrated in his pocket.

"I need you in Modeoheim." the message read.

_Not now, Tseng..._

His eyes tore away from the small cellphone screen to catch a glimpse of a bright halo of light behind one of the cold steel doors. That had to be it. The obnoxious cackle floating out from behind it only served to confirm his suspicions.

He snuck closer to the door, the smell of fresh blood and death nearly overwhelming his senses. He could not wait any longer. Cloud could be-

A thick combat boot made short work of the metal door, sending it flying across the room, slamming into the opposite wall with a deafening crash. Zack bolted across the laboratory, kicking aside the empty operating table before his hand swiftly came into contact with a stunned Professor Hojo's neck, ramming his frail form into the steel cabinet behind him. His right hand sprung to the hilt of the buster sword strapped to his back, ready at a moment's notice to shred apart the writhing man in front of him. Rage burned uncontrollably in his eyes, consuming his consciousness. The niggling threat of possible court marshal from his rash actions were silenced by the one single thought screaming clear in his entire being.

"WHERE IS HE."

The Professor choked out a laugh that made Zack's blood run cold. "You're too late." he cackled.

Zack shoved the aged man further into the dent of the cupboard with a chorus of bent metal and crushed glass beakers. "What do you mean, too late..."

Hojo struggled briefly, pushing the SOLDIER's shaking fist away and falling to the ground unceremoniously. He scowled at the young man, readjusting the rumples on his shirt. "You've been out for 3 weeks. Your... Student, has already long left this laboratory. One of our successes, I might add."

Zack's brow furrowed in anger. "What did you do to him, you bastard..."

A frown crested on the thin man's lips as he pushed his lop sided spectacles back into place. "Nothing too permanent." he sneered, turning back to the desk full of scattered notes and scribbled. "It would have been perfect if you didn't damage the specimen."

"Damage?" the raven haired SOLDIER questioned slowly.

"Psychological, physical, emotional." Hojo listed, flipping through the thick wad of pages on the chart in his hand. "A veritable wreck. We couldn't perform all the tests we wanted to. But he was nowhere near the failure you deemed him to be."

Zack glared at him. "I did what I had to to stop you from killing him."

"In science and war, sacrifices are always necessary." Hojo drawled, giving the SOLDIER a knowing look. "You of all people should know that perfectly well."

"Where is he now."

"Gone." the professor annunciated, turning to look at the seething SOLDIER in the eye for the first time. "But I'm sure you'll meet again soon."

His cellphone went off again.

Zack tore the phone of out his pocket, flipping with open with a frustrated grunt. "Zack. I need you in-"

"I know." he spat into the phone, snapping it shut and marching out of the room.

--

The cold was biting. Zack trudged angrily up the steep mountain slope, nearly sprinting with little regard for the rest of the group straggling in the frigid conditions. If Cloud was at the end of this path, he could not care less if he lost one or two in this hurriedly assembled task force. In his mind, the blonde was now at the end of every mission he embarked on.

Three months.

Three months of endless searching, hoping, waiting, wishing. Three months of nothing.

He cast an obligatory look towards the other members of the squad, only to see a guard following close behind him. He slowed, pausing for a break on a large boulder by the side of the barely cut path on the mountain side.

"At least someone's keeping up." he mumbled grumpily, sitting himself down. He hated stopping. These men were only slowing him down.

"I'm a country boy too." came the hesitant reply. Zack looked over at the guard who had taken out a flask of water from his backpack. It was some time since he tried having a civil conversation with someone. He had almost forgotten how it felt like, talking, smiling, feeling.

"What's your name, soldier?"

The guard looked up at the raven haired SOLDIER and slipped the heavy Shinra helmet off, soft spikes falling gently into place. Bright blue eyes tainted with the slight stain of mako glowed from under his unruly bangs. A warm smile slipped across soft lips as Zack's eyes widened.

"Cloud. My name is Cloud. And you are?"

-fin-


End file.
